Little Buddy and I had a late summer trip, we went over to Titusville to stay as close to the Kennedy Space Center as possible. We arrived Thursday evening after back to school/meet the teacher afternoon. It was a long drive as traffic is always horrible in Tampa and all the way to Orlando, but we made it and headed up to the rooftop restaurant for dinner which was very exciting.
Friday we made it a whole 5 1/2 hours at Kennedy Space Center before one little guy was almost crying because he was so tired. That is a long time for him to be walking and standing. I'd say the whole place was amazing. I think with all the rockets going off funded by little boy billionaires playing around we forget how amazing space travel really is. Seeing the Atlantis was just incredible. Seeing the IMAX production about The James Webb Telescope was so fascinating, how it was created and the truly unimaginable pictures it sends back, well it was incredible as well. We walked all the way over to see a rocket launch that got canceled at the last minute. The whole place is very large, lots of walking on a hot day, but with most of the venues inside it made it bearable. At the 5 1/2 hour mark this guy got very tired, not even a scoop of dippin dots ice cream could make it better. So we made our way back to the car and back to the hotel. After making it in the door and we both took a much deserved nap. Funny I spent so much time online looking at hotels, I wanted a pool for us to go swimming in, a restaurant and something very close to Kennedy Space Center. Well we did make it to the rooftop restaurant with a speedy express elevator that counts down to lift off, but not to the pool, we were way, way to tired. It was a big adventure for both of us.
I am pretty much solely financially responsible for this little one so taking time off from work is really hard for me. Missing the income and of course the expense of hotels, parking, eating out and of course tickets is hard for me to swallow. But I also feel it is important that he knows Mom can do this with him and it isn't always Dad who takes him away on extravagant trips, some of which he could care less to even go on. So in a way I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone, taming down my anxiety a bit and making the plans for our adventure. He had a great time, and while I was fascinated by it all, this trip was for my amazing boy, with the amazing brain who just loves facts. And the big bonus is we rode on an elevator he had never even heard of. I thought the elevator fascination stage was over with but apparently a new brand of elevator is still very exciting.
Monday starts the school year. Little Buddy will be in 7th grade and will be changing classes four times a day. Thats big stuff! Luckily it is all with teachers he knows and trusts and he will have a behavior therapist with him most of the time making transitioning easier for him, and for me if I am honest! We are having a family pizza night tomorrow with big brothers and their partners to celebrate!
Hope you are all having a wonderful end of your summer and you are staying safe from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debbie, she packed a punch here last Sunday and Monday. I was happy to see her move on, but that is just another day living in Florida and frankly once we knew she was sailing past us and heading north for landfall we didn't even blink. It was actually cozy to be forced to stay in with the rain and wind howling outside.
Hope you all have a wonderful week
17 comments:
I have followed you and Claudia for many years but I don't think I've ever commented here before. I am so happy to see you posting again once in awhile.
My husband and I went to Kennedy Space Center last year and we lasted about 5 hours too. We were able to see a launch. Very impressive and loud!
I hope Little Buddy has a good year...he's grown up alot.
Take Care
I loved reading about your adventure! Good for you both, but I do imagine it has to be stressful. I hope the happiness more than made up for the stress! And as an aside--when we built the house here on the coast, we had an elevator put in as we were thinking about 'aging in place' and the living and bedroom are both on the second floor. Anyway--the brand is Savaria! I recognized the logo immediately. While we're still (fairly) young and healthy, we use the elevator mostly for storage!
I bet his face was tired, too, from all that smiling! Clearly he was in his element, and it's the stuff of life-long memories.
What a most excellent adventure for you and Little Buddy!!! Seventh grade . . . it doesn’t seem possible. :-)
It sounds like the perfect trip for your son, engaging both his mind and his body to their fullest. Both of you really stretched on this vacation.
If I'm having a hard time believing Little Buddy is going into seventh grade, I can't imagine how you must be feeling! What a whirlwind your lives have been. A tropical storm is no big deal compared to that.
What a great way to celebrate the ending of summer! Here's to a good school year for both of you!
Looks like a fabulous trip and Buddy looks so happy in the photos. We went to the NASA center in Houston last year and it is amazing to see what has been accomplished with space flight.
Best of luck to Buddy in 7th grade! Hope he has a great year! Take care of yourself, too!
It sounds like a marvelous time for both of you! And kudos to you for pulling it off! What a great life you are living with your LB. The change has done you good :)
I'm glad you survived the storm well -- and that you survived NASA too! Five and a half hours would do me in as well, so I'm not surprised you were both pooped. But you're right about taking the trip -- there will be ways to make up for it financially but you created an experience he is very likely to remember always, especially at this age. Onward to a new year. That's exciting and a very big deal, the class changing. Three cheers to you both!
Good to hear you and LB made a trip by yourselves. What a fun and interesting place to go to! He looks SO much like a teenager now, too.
My husband was in Orlando last week for a work convention. Rainy almost every day and in the 90's - blech. They couldn't have sent him in Feb when it's still so cold here and snowy, right? ;-)
What a fun trip! When I was a teacher I worked in a school just outside of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. So many of my parents were actual rocket scientist. One year we grew tomato plants from seeds that had gone to space. They were a wonderful bunch of people in a great community.
Well done you for making that trip happen, I can imagine it was quite daunting, but oh my goodness, so much smiling in all the photos. You're the best. And I can well imagine how tired you both were after a whole day at the Space Centre. I bet it was amazing though.
I love a summer storm as well, although ours are definitely a lot tamer. CJ xx
Sounds like you and LB had a great adventure! He sure is getting grown up; I remember when he was just a tiny little fellow, and that seems like yesterday. Time sure flies, doesn't it?
This will be a great memory for him. He will cherish it forever. Thanks for making the sarifice for him.
What a great adventure you two had.
Wishing LB a wonderful 7th grade year. He looks SO grown up in all those photos.
Wow, what a fantastic trip for you both. Good for you for pursuing it, and showing what you can do. And WHAT a handsome young man LB is growing into! Best wishes to him in the new school year. Hugs to you, Mere.
I just stopped by and was so happy to see your writing and pictures and know that you are doing well! I love the updates to your house. I too have been financially on my own since Covid and it is difficult and causes me a lot of anxiety. Investing in special times with family though is worth the sacrifice. Hugs to you.
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